Which Danish neoclassical sculptor created the statue of Jason with the Golden Fleece?

Bertel Thorvaldsen created the statue of Jason with the Golden Fleece. The Danish sculptor’s work presents the Greek hero after completing his quest, carrying the fleece and resting with composed, controlled power.

Thorvaldsen first modeled the sculpture in clay in 1803, and it became his breakthrough work. A marble version was later commissioned by the English patron Thomas Hope and was completed in 1828. The statue stands about 242 centimeters tall and is now associated with the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen.

The composition reflects Thorvaldsen’s neoclassical admiration for ancient Greek and Roman art. Jason’s nude figure draws on famous antique models including the Apollo Belvedere and the Doryphoros, while the subject comes from the Argonaut myth, in which Jason seeks the Golden Fleece to help reclaim his father’s kingdom. A common mix-up is to confuse Thorvaldsen with Antonio Canova, another leading neoclassical sculptor; Canova was Italian, while Thorvaldsen was Danish.